Scheicher K8B accident near Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania, June 9, 1982
On June 9, 1982 at about 7:40 pm local time, a Scheicher K8B (glider), registered N3353G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 9, 1982 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Scheicher K8B
- Registration
- N3353G · no longer on the register · serial 991
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ON A ROUND ROBIN, CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM WOODBINE, MD TO SHREWSBURY, PA AND RETURN. WHEN HE ARRIVED OVER SHEWSBURY, HE MANEUVERED THE GLIDER TO TAKE A PICTURE OF HIS TURN POINT. WHILE TAKING THE PICTURE, HE SKIDDED THE GLIDER TO INCLUDE THE WING TIP IN THE PICTURE. AFTER TAKING THE PICTURE, HE NOTICED THE GLIDER HAD ENTERED AN OVERSPEED CONDITION. TO SLOW THE SPEED, THE AIRBRAKES WERE OPENED. HOWEVER, AT THAT POINT, THE FABRIC ON THE RIGHT WING TORE LOOSE AND THE GLIDER ENTERED A STEEP RIGHT SPIRAL. FULL LEFT RUDDER AND AILERON WERE APPLIED, BUT THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN FULL CONTROL OF THE GLIDER. HE ATTEMPTED TO MANEUVER THE GLIDER INTO A FIELD, BUT COLLIDED WITH TREES SHORT OF THE INTENDED LANDING AREA.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 84 hours in all; 43 in the last 90 days; 61 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 668 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 684 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Woodbine MD at 12:30 pm
- Destination: Milford IA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 180°F (82°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.